Theodore d



THEODORE D. DAY, NEV' YUYRK, N. Letters Patent No. 63,865, dated April16, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN GLASPS FOR SKELETON SKIRTS.

TO ALL WIIOMIT MAY CONCERN:

De it known that I, THEODORE D. DAY, of the city and State of New York,have invented, made, and applied to use a certain. new and usefulImprovement in Clasps for Skeleton Skirts; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had te the annexed drawing` making part of thisspecification, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan of the sheet metal :Ls cut toform the clasp.

Figure 2 is :L similar view of the piece of metal to form the spangle orsmall clasp.

Figure 3 is a section longitudinally of the clasp, fig. 1, after thesame is `bent up to shape and Figure 4 is :L cross-section of the clasp,iig. 2, after the same is bent up to shape.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

Olasps for skeleton skirts with two or more teeth have heretofore beenmade out of sheet metal, the teeth passing through the tapes andclinched behind the hoops. The edges of the sheet metal as cutout by thedies are always more or less sharp, and often have a bur projecting thatCuts the tapes. In order to prevent injury from this cause a piece of,leather or similar material has been introduced between the clasp andthe tape, as seen in Letters Patent granted to H. B. Ames dated January21,1862. The pieces of leather or similar material, however, arecostly', and are dii-heult of application, as they have to be placedbeneath each clasp, or the`teeth-\q thereof stuck through the piece ofleather.

The nature of my said invention consists in a clasp for skirts, the.,made of sheet metal, with a liningof paper, cloth, or similar material,applied to the sheet of metal before theclasp is cnt out, and caused toadhere thereto, so that the two thicknesses are out out simultaneously,and hence the clasp and its teeth are lined with a yielding materialthat protects the skirt from injury by the edges of the sheet metal. Bythis improvement I am enabled to use tinned sheet iron for making theclasps, and they are much stronger, handsomer, and more durable in theirlustre than the clasps heretofore made of sheet brass. i

In the drawing, a represents the sheet metal for the clasp, spa-ngle, orsimilar skirt fastening, formed with any desired number of teeth, or ofany desired shape. b is the lining of the said clasps, made of paper,cloth, or similar material, and united to `the surface of the sheetmetal by suitable cement before the clasp is cut out by dies. I haveshown the clasps in larger size than usual for greater elearness, andthelining is shown in red. If desired both sides of the sheet metal for theclasps might be coated before being cut out by dies. I prefer that thewhole of the sheet of paper or similar material be att-ached to thesheet of metal before being cut out by dies, but in some instances thepaper or similar material will he sufficiently attached to the metal bythe action of the dies to hold the two thicknesses together while beingapplied to a skirt; and the said lining of cloth or paper might beapplied tothe clasp by the die that bends the same up into shape, thesaid paper being attached by paste or other suitable cement.

What I'elaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The clasp .for skirts and similar articles, formed with a lining to theclasp and the teeth, in the manner specified.

In witnessjwhereof- I have hereunto set my signature this seventeenthday of September, A. D. 1866.

THEO. D. DAY.

Witnesses:

GnAs. H. SMITH, Gno. D. WALKER.

